Perth County awards $1.3-million tender for ambulances and patient-handling equipment

Perth County council has approved the purchase of four new ambulances and associated patient-handling equipment as part of the county's ongoing effort to keep its frontline paramedic fleet up to date and in compliance with provincial standards.

At its June 4 meeting, council awarded a tender for four replacement ambulances to Tri-Star Industries Ltd. and approved the purchase of four Stryker Power Cot stretchers and four Stryker PowerLOAD systems from Stryker Canada. Together, the purchases total approximately $1.35 million before HST and remain within the county's approved 2027 capital budget.

“We put a tender out for the purchase of four ambulances next year,” Perth County Paramedic Services chief Mike Adair told councillors. “During COVID, we ended up receiving four in one year and our replacement cycle is every seven years, which is why we’re purchasing four and hoping we can enjoy some of the economies of scale for purchasing four ambulances at once.”

According to a report prepared by deputy chief of operations Tristan Barter and reviewed by Adair, Perth County Paramedic Services replaces ambulances and stretcher systems on a seven-year lifecycle to ensure vehicles and equipment continue to meet Ministry of Health standards, manufacturer requirements and operational needs.

The replacement program is designed to support safe and effective patient care while reducing maintenance costs and minimizing service disruptions caused by aging equipment.

Perth County issued a request for tender earlier this year for the supply and conversion of four ambulances, including all emergency-vehicle modifications and certifications required before they can be placed into frontline service. Tri-Star Industries was the sole compliant bidder.

“We only had one bidder. At the time, we were very surprised both (ambulance manufacturers in Ontario) didn’t bid, but it turns out that one of the organizations missed a deadline,” Adair said.

Following negotiations permitted under the county's procurement bylaw, the company reduced its pricing below the originally approved project budget while continuing to meet all operational and Ministry of Health requirements.

The negotiated price for the four ambulances is $1.061 million, excluding HST. The agreement also includes access to local onsite warranty and non-warranty service support, which staff say will help reduce vehicle downtime and improve fleet-maintenance turnover.

The county also completed a competitive procurement process for four replacement Stryker Power Cot stretchers and four Stryker PowerLOAD systems. Stryker Canada was identified as the lowest compliant bidder meeting all tender specifications and operational requirements, with a bid of $293,829.59.

“These systems are an important part of our staff-safety and patient-handling program and align directly with our seven-year replacement cycle,” Barter said.

The powered stretchers and loading systems are designed to reduce the physical strain on paramedics when lifting and transporting patients, while improving safety and efficiency during emergency responses.

Staff noted replacing the equipment at the same time as the ambulances aligns with the county's established fleet-replacement strategy and ensures continued compliance with manufacturer and Ministry of Health requirements for patient-handling systems.

Funding for the project will come from Perth County's fleet and medical-equipment reserves, as previously approved by council.